CHAPTER VIII. A SECOND EXILE, AND AN INVITATION AND RETREAT INTO SANCTUARY. Adieu! Adieu! my native shore The night-winds sigh, the breakers roar, Yon sun that sets upon the sea Farewell awhile to him and thee, My Native Land-Good Night! LORD BYRON. 1 They appointed an eloquent and lerned friar to preach a sermon of Contempt of the World, and of the happiness and benefit of a quiet and contemplative life; which the friar did most affectionately. After which sermon, the emperor took occasion to declare, openly, that the preacher had begotten in him a resolution to lay down his dignities, forsake the world, and betake himself to a monastic life. IZAAK WALTON'S LIFE OF GEORGE HERBERT. ALBEIT I had been thus most wondrously protected from the fearful chances of dying by long imprisonment, fire, water, or the hand of the executioner, and thus seemed to be again at liberty, I did still know well, that, while Harry Tudor lived, my life was not yet safe in this realm; but that I must speedily haste me beyond the seas, though I wist not how to do it, having but little money to carry me hence. As all my companions were drowned when the barge was over whelmed in the wild current, and as I had cast from me my friar's habit when I got me on the starling, that being afterward found, it might be truly thought that I had met the like fate,-] might thus give what report I would of myself, so that truth were not too greatly outraged in seeking for safety. Therefore I recounted how that I had lain long space at Sheen, confined by an evil distemper, and that I was now coming thence in hope of entertainment either abroad or on the seas, with a certain company, when our boatmen, through misgovernance of the vessel or darkness of the night, dashed it against the bridge, as it was already known. The dwelling whereto they who drew me up led me to dry my raiment, I soon quitted with thanks, and forthwith wandered unto an inn near the bridge, much frequented by shipmen, of the sign of the Great Henry; in memory of the vast ship of war so called, built for Harry Tudor, and the first royal barque of that kind which did ever float out of an English harbour. At this place, therefore, did I find divers mariners met together, discoursing on their voyage unto Bristol, the which they should begin with the tide that would presently flow, whence they were forthwith to sail in search of new countries. I did soon find that they were the captain, and some of the company, of the good ship Dominus Vobiscum, belonging unto Hugh Eliot and Thomas Ashurst, merchants of Bristol, and Johannes and Gonzales Fernandez, Portuguese, unto whom a patent had been granted for making discoveries upon the seas.* Upon hearing that I was looking for entertainment, the captain, one Luigi Ramusio, who was also a Portingale, demanded if I would take service with them to see unknown lands for some three years or so, upon fair terms; adding withal, that I should forthwith declare mine intent, for that the tide was fast making, the wind blew fairly for sailing, and that his barque, which lay beside the bridge, was even then ready to depart. It may be well thought that I desired nothing better than such an offer, and that it was soon a stricken bargain between us; for as to mine own land, it had once more become my fiercest enemy, and the Lady Bride was now lost unto me past all hope of recovery, or even of beholding again. Moreover, my strength was decayed and my soul had become full sad from long imprisonment, beside being dismayed and affrighted at the late fearful deaths of Bernard Schalken, my keeper, and the guards; and I did earnestly hope to lose the thought of these things in distant climes, wherein I might also look to gain new life, and, above all, liberty. I do not question, but that they who shall hereafter read over this my story, will picture unto themselves, and that without my showing, the doubts and fears which I did endure, even after we got unto Bristol, until our barque was made ready for sea; lest, peradventure, I might be heard of, traced thither, and so carried back unto the Tower, where, in brief space, I should *This instrument is printed in Rymer's Fœdera, vol. xiii. 37, and is dated December 9th, 1502. no doubt have lost mine head. Howbeit, as God would have it, my death was deemed certain, and as I presently altered my garb and figure to look as much as I might like a shipman, and kept me close unto my vessel, I 'scaped questioning until our barque was all appointed for sailing. This was some time about the end of March; and so, having all confessed and received the sacrament by command of our captain, we did at length set our courses unto sea and depart. It were full vain to think of showing in this place, the great and wondrous histories of our voyages; both because they be all too long to write herein, and also because that divers, of great skill in the mariner's art, have penned most excellent accounts thereof, what time the brave Christopher Columbus and Sebastian Cabot went unto the same parts as we. I will, therefore, note only, that in my several voyages I saw many strange things and countries, in going unto the East and West Indies, into the south seas, and round by the coasts on the north side of America, for discovering of new lands, or finding out a northwest passage thereunto. We sailed, moreover, through the great north seas, wherein we saw the mighty morses, which be killed with great hazard for their oil; and even in the month of hot July, met with monstrous hills of ice swimming on the waves; and beheld a land, which, at this season, hath, as it were, all daylight. And such was mine employ until the year of grace, 1509, when we were returning with good success from a voyage round by the East Sea, or® Sound of Denmark; and drew fairly nigh unto the coast of England, where the Northern Ocean washes the shores of Norfolk, it being our purpose to enter the river and harbour of Wells. The even ere we should have reached thereunto, was fair and pleasant, though, as divers of us thought, not without tokens of storm; yet were the shipmen full glad, and spent the time in merriment, even as the swan singeth before his death, not watching that most deceitful coast. Anon the wind arose, and blew vehemently from the north-at-east, bringing withal rain and thick mist so that we might not discern land, to put in right with the haven, nor see.a cable's length before us through the night. In the morning we found ourselves on flats and shifting sands, whereupon we let the ship drive unto the wind; but, beating up and down, sometimes in shallows, and sometimes in deep water, our barque at last struck a-ground, and soon after had her stern parts all beaten in pieces!It was a most heavy and grievous damage, thus to lose, as it were at one blow, our tall ship, freighted with great provision, gathered with much care, long time, and difficulty, and specially the loss of our men to the number of almost an hundred souls. Of this our crew, there was no one who looked more resolvedly unto death than did the captain; for when all hope was past, of recovering the ship, and men began to give over and save themselves, he would not consent to fly therefrom, but betook him unto the highest deck, and I placed myself beside him, where we both commended ourselves unto God! How long he lived after I know not, for the rushing sea soon made all level; and, thereby bereft |